The superior priesthood of Jesus 7:11-25

Having shown the superiority of Melchizedek to Abraham and Levi, the writer proceeded to point out the superiority of Melchizedek's priesthood and Jesus' priesthood. He did so to clarify for his readers the inferiority of the Mosaic Covenant and its priesthood. Not only was Melchizedek greaterthan Aaron, but Melchizedek replacedAaron.

"Within the structure of the homily, 7:1-28 is clearly defined as a literary unit. The reference to the Son of God' in v 3 prepares for the climactic reference to the Son' in v 28. The entire chapter is concerned with the Son as priest, or high priest, like Melchizedek,' who is superior to the Levitical priests. The fact that v 28 summarizes and concludes the comparison of Jesus as Son with the Levitical priesthood, a subject that occupies the writer in a preparatory way in 7:1-10 and directly in 7:11-28, is of special importance . . ."²¹⁸

Genesis 14:17-20 now falls into the background, and Psalm 110:4 becomes dominant.²¹⁹Note also the key words "perfection"(v. 11) and "perfect"(vv. 19, 28). These two words not only form an inclusiobut begin and end the argument of the pericope. Perfection did not come through the Old Covenant priests but through the Son.

Why would God replace the Levitical priesthood? Four reasons follow.

 The imperfection of the Levitical priesthood and the Mosaic Law 7:11-14

7:11 The writer's point was that since God promised in Psalm 110:4 that the coming Messiah would be a priest after Melchizedek's order, He intended to terminate the Levitical priesthood because it was inadequate. If the Levitical priesthood had been adequate, the Messiah would have functioned as a Levitical priest.

7:12 The priesthood was such a major part of the whole Mosaic Covenant that this predicted change in the priesthood signaled a change in the whole Covenant. This verse is one of the clearest single statements in the New Testament indicating that God has terminated the Mosaic Law (cf. Rom. 10:4). Paul went on to say that Christians, therefore, are not under it (Rom. 6:14-15; Gal. 3:24-25; 5:1; 6:2; 2 Cor. 3:7-11). It is not what God has given to regulate the lives of Christians.

"If Christ is our high priest today, then there has to be a change in the law, since He could not qualify as a priest under the Levitical arrangement (being of the tribe of Judah). If the law has not been done away today, then neither has the Levitical priesthood; but if Christ is our high priest, we cannot be under the law. Every prayer offered in the name of Christ is an affirmation of the end of the law."²²⁰

"So by his own independent line of argument our author reaches the same conclusion as Paul: the law was a temporary provision, our tutor to bring us unto Christ . . . but now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor' (Gal. 3:24f.)."²²¹

7:13-14 Further confirmation of this change is the prophecy that Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah, not from the priestly tribe of Levi (Gen. 49:10; Mic. 5:2; Isa. 11:1).

 The need for a better replacement 7:15-19

7:15-17 A third proof that God made a change in the priesthood is that God predicted that Messiah would live forever (Ps. 110:4). Jesus Christ did not become a priest because He met a physical requirement, namely, was born into the priestly tribe and qualified by his descent to serve as high priest. He became a priest because He would not die. In this He showed Himself to be a member of Melchizedek's "order"since Melchizedek appears from the scriptural record to have lived forever. Jesus is a priest forever because of His resurrection.²²²

7:18-19 These verses summarize the argument that God has superseded the Levitical priesthood and the Mosaic Law (Covenant). He has replaced the old system with a system that can do what the old one could not do, namely, bring us into intimate relationship with God.

"The term athetesis, annulment,' is a stronger term than metathesis, alteration' (v 12)."²²³

The "better hope"we have is the assurance that this relationship is now possible for us to experience thanks to our great High Priest.

 The inviolability of God's oath 7:20-22

Verses 20-25 draw out the pastoral implications of the conclusion that the writer reached in verses 18-19.

7:20-21 Another oath from God (Ps. 110:4) launched Messiah's priesthood. The Levitical priesthood had no such origin, another indication of its inferiority.

7:22 Because God promised on oath to install Messiah permanently as our priest, the writer could say that Jesus is the guarantee of a better covenant. Since the old priesthood was the heart of the Old Covenant, and God terminated both of them, a new priesthood must accompany the New Covenant that is superior to the Old Covenant. Since the new Priest has come, so must the New Covenant have come (cf. Luke 22:20). This is the first mention in the epistle of the word "covenant"that will play a major role in the writer's argument to follow.

"Hebrews develops the theme of the new covenant more fully than any other NT writer, the epistle accounting for just over half the occurrences of diathekein the NT."²²⁴

 The mortality of the Levitical priests 7:23-25

7:23-24 The Levitical priests had to succeed one another because they kept dying, but Christ needs no successor because He will not die.

7:25 The fact that Christ will not die and need replacement by another priest means that He can see His work of delivering His people through to the end. He can deliver completely (better than "forever,"v. 25) in the sense of seeing us through to the realization of our full salvation, our rest (inheritance) in God's presence (cf. 1:14).

"Here the author is not referring to His saving work as the salvation of sinners from judgment and death, but rather using the words to savein the sense of to bring to God's desired end' . . ."²²⁵

Our trials and temptations need not separate us from our inheritance since Jesus Christ can continue to support us by providing mercy and grace (4:14-16) all the way to our ultimate reward. What a comfort and assurance it is to realize that Jesus Christ Himself is praying for us constantly!

This verse is not talking about eternal security but about remaining faithful to the Lord and as a result receiving our full reward. Our eternal security does rest on the intercessory ministry of Jesus Christ, but that was not the writer's point here (cf. Rom. 8:33-34).

"It is important to emphasize this, for the character of our Lord's intercession has at times been grotesquely misrepresented in popular Christian thought. He is not to be thought of as an orante, standingever before the Father with outstretched arms, like the figures in the mosaics of the catacombs, and with strong crying and tears pleading our cause in the presence of a reluctant God; but as a thronedPriest-King, asking what He will from a Father who always hears and grants His request.'"²²⁶

"Despite these exhortations to faithfulness and warnings against unfaithfulness [in 6:4-6], Hebrews does not base the believer's assurance on works. The basis of ongoing assurance is Christ's high-priestly work of intercession."²²⁷

"In Hebrews salvation' is presented as a future eschatological inheritance (1:14; 5:9; 9:28). There is, nevertheless, a definite sense in which the community has already begun to participate in salvation as a result of the obedience and sacrificial death of Christ and his subsequent exaltation (cf. 2:3-4; 6:4-5, 9)."²²⁸

"Just as Christ's priesthood is permanent, so is the salvation which he makes possible."²²⁹